The position is currently held by Matthew O'Toole of the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
[2] Various Nationalist, Labour and Independent Unionist politicians performed an opposition role without any formal recognition.
After the 1958 election the Northern Ireland Labour Party won four seats and were asked by the Speaker to form the Official Opposition.
Non-Executive parties continued to fulfil the role of an opposition in an unofficial capacity, much as various Nationalist and Labour MPs had done in the House of Commons.
[9] Following the SDLP declining to nominate an Infrastructure Minister to the Executive, on the 25 July 2022 the SDLP formed an opposition and nominated Matthew O’Toole as the first Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly.